Chamber says plan for Wellingborough’s future must be flexible

The plan for the future of Wellingborough must be ‘flexible’ to take advantage of the opportunities which may arise, according to an executive member of Wellingborough Chamber of Commerce.

Wellingborough’s Local Plan (part two) is conducting its final stage of consultation prior to it being considered by an inspector before a final written report and adoption.

James Wilson

James Wilson, director of James Wilson Associates and executive committee member of the Wellingborough Chamber of Commerce, is urging people to submit their views ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, August 21.

He is calling for Wellingborough Council to incorporate flexibility into the plan so that development and investment opportunities in the borough can be taken advantage of over the plan period which ends in 2031.

He said: “As with all plans this will become out of date in due course as events occur, investment decisions are made and national consumption or retailing trends change.

“It is important that a degree of flexibility is built into the plan so that opportunities when they arise can be taken advantage of.

“Landowners or developers who own and control sites with development potential may wish to respond to the consultation in order to ensure that the best case has been made for their inclusion in the plan or to help resist policy which may prove to be damaging for future proposals.”

The Plan for the Borough of Wellingborough will add further detail and planning policy specifically for the town.

It will set the approach, within the broad framework established by the Joint Core Strategy, for how land can be developed in the borough over the plan period to 2031.

James added: “It will guide the ambition of any town centre regeneration or redevelopment in response to the development of Stanton Cross and Glenvale Park (Wellingborough North); set the detail in respect of housing allocations and how a five-year housing land supply can be achieved and identify the boundaries for the rural villages establishing where development will and won’t be acceptable – amongst many other things.”

The final plan will be adopted later in the year once an inspector has decided whether the major and minor amendments put forward by Wellingborough Council should be incorporated.